Tobergill, County Antrim

Origin

Ir. An Tobar Geal ‘the bright or white well’

Background

The name of the townland of Tobergill is recorded as Tubbergeill in 1608, as Turbergeile in 1621 and as Tubbergill in 1669 and the most satisfactory interpretation of the place-name is An Tobar Geal ‘the bright or white well’. There is no tradition of a holy well in the townland. However, the OS 1:10,000 map of 1972 (sh. 96) marks a ‘spring’ near its western boundary. As well as Tubbergill a townland named Tobergil Qr. is listed in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1669 (HMR Ant. 127) and it appears likely that Tobergil Qr. corresponds with the townland of Drumagorgan which borders Tobergill on the south-west (see Drumagorgan).